Cliff’s Reviews > Jesus Potter Harry Christ: The Fascinating Parallels Between Two of the World's Most Popular Literary Characters > Status Update

p 475 It is meaningless to argue that there is evidence for Jesus Christ; instead it can only be claimed that the historical Jesus is a meaningful belief, which the text hastens to establish, but which is ultimately dependent on the creative constructive power of human faith. The belief in the historical Jesus constitutes a subjective truth which is self-supporting and completely irrespective of historical evidence.

I like the analogy of Pascal's wager to that of Neo of Matrix deciding to take the red pill out of faith: Deciding to believe without supporting evidence.

p 470 Rather than evidence, it is based on the passionate belief and the experiential consequences of that belief. The true heart of the argument for Christians is this: If Jesus doesn't exist, he would be meaningful to me. Therefore he is historical. (That's why, it's called "faith", man)

p 470 Rather than evidence, it is based on the passionate belief and the experiential consequences of that belief. The true heart of the argument for Christians is this: If Jesus doesn't exist, he would be meaningful to me. Therefore he is historical. (That's why, it's called "faith", man)

p 458 Keep in mind that this is now several centuries after the fact, and the church is voting on whether and to what extent Jesus Christ was human based on theological need rather than historical evidence.

p 461 The only truth, it was decided, is that which is mysterious and impossible; what cannot be understood but only believed.

p. 430 Salvation no longer required an active, life-long pursuit of the divine but an immediate and absolute forgiveness, based on nothing more than accepting Jesus Christ as savior.

p. 423... …Reason began to be viewed as an enemy to the truth, while blind faith in scripture, and a blind eye to anyone...

… Rather than question why their faith had so many critics, they claimed that God had made the gospel sound...

p. 428 This simplicity was a powerful tool and motivator… it inspired Christians to act, rather than contemplate.

p. 423... …Reason began to be viewed as an enemy to the truth, while blind faith in scripture, and a blind eye to anyone...

… Rather than question why their faith had so many critics, they claimed that God had made the gospel sound...

p. 428 This simplicity was a powerful tool and motivator… it inspired Christians to act, rather than contemplate.